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[DIGEST] Woof so hard...
Your weekly stackable roundup
We’re done with my safari. If you want to see a roundup of everything I learned and saw during my trip, read about it here.
I didn’t think I would have any pictures to share with you this week, but then my brother-in-law asked us to petsit his very photogenic dog, Wolfie, and now I have a billion pictures of him hanging out. These aren’t the best pictures, but he is the best pupper. 14/10.
If you want to share how you are doing this week, then there are two ways to interact with this post.
1 - If you don’t want to say anything, or bristle at identifying yourself, then you can reply with this nifty poll.
2 - If you’re feeling very brave, then reply below and tell us how you are doing right now on a scale from 1-5.
It’s been a pretty beige week, which I generally like. I am so sick of living in interesting times. We did have a scare with the puppy we’re watching for my brother-in-law, though. I never thought a dog would eat plastic, but…well, it’s probably going to be okay now. His papa doesn’t seem too concerned about it. He’s eating and pooping, so I mean…that’s good, right?
Healthwise, I’ve been all over the map. I got up to a 3 at one point, but my headaches have come back in a major way, and knocked me down to a 2 right now.
WEBINAR FINALE: If you've been part of our ecosystem for a while, you probably know most of our webinars are two-parters. This last one was no exception and we’re excited to announce the big finale. If you missed part one, you can watch our webinar, 5 Trends That Are Shifting The Future Of Publishing, here.
Then, get ready to join us live on Wednesday, August 30th at 12pm PT/3pm ET/8 pm BST, for The 5 Biggest Publishing Opportunities You're Missing Right Now.
You've uncovered the trends shifting the future of publishing. Now, learn how to pounce on them. We'll talk about how to build a direct sales ecosystem, how to take advantage of the trends we're seeing, and how to make it all work with your ideal author ecosystem.
Even if you don’t have time to watch the first webinar, you should still plan to join us live. You won’t be lost and we always try to catch people up. Hope to see you there.
What I wrote on Substack: This week, I wrote a follow-up to my 15,000-word explainer on how to create a world-class Substack. If you finished that post wondering how to turn your newly branded Substack into subscribers, then this is your post.
I waited until midnight to drive Lily back onto the dock, just like I had when I met with Moloch and Balaam that fateful night when I stopped the world from ending. I had thought then that the docks, while not the greatest spot in the world, would at least prevent me from getting ambushed. That was before I was ambushed not once but twice, by two different groups of monsters, in the span of five minutes.
“Ysbryd fy nghamgymymeriadau yn y gorffennol.”
The spell created a ghost, or a memory, of what happened to my car after I left it—a spell that only I could see. In order for it to work, I needed a strong connection with what was performing the memory—in this case, Lily—and I couldn’t let go of my grip on it without breaking the connection, which meant no getting out of the car.
New chapters are free, but paid subscribers can access the archives. You also get access to a bunch of free books and stories from my back catalog.
Upcoming article: Next week, I’ll be talking about how each Author Ecosystem can use Substack better. If you haven’t taken our quiz yet, then I think you should before next Wednesday.
Most authors I talk with ask some form of the question “how did you succeed on Substack?” Or course, what they really mean is “How can I succeed at Substack?”
While I can’t give you personalized advice, because this is a pre-written column and you are a living, breathing human reading this asynchronously, the next best thing is to show you how each ecosystem can best utilize Substack to grow their own author career.
I have spent hundreds of hours on Substack trying to learn everything I could about the platform. Meanwhile, we’ve talked to hundreds of authors about their ecosystems. Together, I’ve molded those two conversations to create an overview of how I think each ecosystem can utilize Substack.
One thing I will say is that if you’re looking for fiction, there are roughly 300 fiction publications that write fiction. I have a ton of fiction available in my publication, but there is not the same amount of fiction as there is in nonfiction. Luckily, the fiction community here is hugely supportive and they are great about supporting each other.
However, if you are specifically looking for a deep well of fiction readers/authors to mine immediately, you will likely be disappointed. If you’re looking for a supportive, growing community, then you’re in the right place. Fiction is in its infancy here, but I think it will grow into something magical with time and support.
The landscape of written content has been ever-evolving, with ghostwriting solidifying its mark as a notable and rewarding profession. Within this vast and varied realm, it's essential to continually learn, adapt, and connect with those who have charted successful paths.
That's why I am both honored and excited to be presenting at the upcoming Six-Figure Ghostwriter Summit. Join 21 industry mavens, including me, for this awesome free event beginning on Thursday, August 31st. I’ll be doing a deep dive all about author ecosystems with host Cody Blocker.
Roundup: Here are some of my favorite articles of the week. This is the first week we’re above 40 links, and I’m weirdly okay with it. I think there are a lot of scorchers in here and cutting any would do a disservice to you.
embraces bitterness, revels in the visceral power of subtle art, can pack her whole life in an hour, and is only new once.
takes away something important from ten mean reviews, breaks down her latest publicity tour, explains why book distributors are the most powerful gatekeepers in publishing, and powerfully builds their author platform.
enjoys the tense friendship of C.S. Lewis and T.S. Eliot and its heartbreaking resolution, embraces the imperfections in her work, and wonders if the novel died with Dickens.
explores how trust died in Hollywood, will never like again, finds photos, and checks in with 10 lessons learned on her 32nd birthday.
deals with debt without shame, saves money by envisioning their future self, finds the way out by going through, and wants you to write for her.
shows two ways that expertise changes how you see, wants to steal customers from his competition, and and evolve Miro’s user onboarding
outlines his process for designing a comic book cover, interviews the producer behind some of Substack’s most beloved publications, and pens a second missive about what works in book publicity.
shares his work to build his audience, and have fun on notes, answers your publishing questions, and helps build your publishing career.
keeps a writer’s notebook, finds his readers. makes herself obsolete, and expects the worst.
profiles a Jamon Whisperer, doesn’t want your magic, unlocks a new class consciousness, and has a naked picnic in her dorm room.
isn’t scared of mediocrity, hates things for no reason. and lets go of comparison and competition in favor of curiosity and self-compassion.
improves his life in simple ways, teases out the life that wants to live in you, believes that you’re dead wrong if you don’t think you’re ambitions, and wonders where his memory is kept.
If you like what I’m doing around here and want to check out the archives, you can do that with a 7-day free trial, or simply go straight to being a paid subscriber. You also get access to my seminal comic book series, Ichabod Jones: Monster Hunter.
Worst Thing in the Universe is a satire about karma, hypercapitalism, and fate. It is narrated by God, as he pontificates on the horrible fate of Vikram Suresh, expounds on the nature of the universe, and explores the flaws in the whole system. This book is EXPLICIT. It deals with child abuse, sex trafficking, and all the worst things in the universe. It also might be my masterpiece.
Ichabod Jones: Monster Hunter is a dark fantasy horror comedy graphic novel series that flips the chosen one narrative on its head. It deals with redemption, mental illness, and sacrifice. It is very violent.
Ichabod is a mental patient who has been convicted of killing many innocent people, but when he awakens in the Apocalypse he may just be the best hope for humanity to survive. If only he knew whether the Hell beasts he slaughtered were real or existed only in his mind.
Can Ichabod become the hero the world needs even after society decided they didn’t need him? Or will he devolve into the animal people always accused him of being? Enter the madness and find out.
Paid subscribers can access the entire archive of this series from the beginning, along with other series and every article I’ve ever written. If you aren’t a paid subscriber, you can access the archive for free with a 7-day trial.